(UNICEF): Acute malnutrition rates among children in Somalia rise by 32 percent
Geneva, August 21 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today, Friday, of the repercussions of the "unprecedented" cuts to humanitarian aid provided to Somalia, emphasizing that these reductions have led to the closure of 205 nutrition centers and a 32 percent rise in the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition during the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva via video link from Nairobi, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder stated that the impact of funding cuts on children had been "immediate," noting that the closure of prevention and nutrition centers reduces opportunities to identify and treat the most vulnerable children in a timely manner.
Elder added that approximately one million children under the age of five, along with girls and women, are at risk of losing access to nutrition services in Somalia. He projected that around 1.9 million children are expected to suffer from malnutrition this year, including nearly half a million children with severe acute malnutrition, which is the most lethal form of the condition.
He stressed that delivering life-saving assistance to needy children has become more difficult amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Somalia, driven by the impacts of climate change and severe drought in parts of the north, as well as conflict, displacement, rising fuel and fertilizer costs, and regional developments in the Middle East.
Elder pointed out that funding cuts have reduced the coverage of health and nutrition services by about one-third, warning that up to 618 health facilities across Somalia could face closure under current funding levels. He clarified that the budget for the UN Humanitarian Air Service in Somalia, which provides vital transport services for UNICEF and other UN agencies to deliver life-saving shipments, was cut by 40 percent in 2025 and 2026.
Elder noted that between 2021 and 2025, UNICEF supported the treatment of 2.25 million children with severe acute malnutrition, achieving a recovery rate of 97.6 percent. In 2024, it also supported a cholera vaccination campaign that benefited approximately 880,000 people.
Regarding the water crisis, Elder said that water prices in rural and pastoral areas have quadrupled, with the price of a water barrel jumping from $2 to $8.
He also warned of the crisis's impact on the education sector, noting that more than 78,000 students have dropped out of school, while over 600,000 girls and boys face the risk of losing access to education.
He added that funding cuts have also led to the closure of at least 65 child protection facilities, which had been providing services, particularly to children previously associated with armed groups or at risk of recruitment.
Elder emphasized that dismantling aid systems at a time when humanitarian needs are increasing will exacerbate the crisis in Somalia and raise future recovery costs, stressing the need to keep child protection and the prevention of suffering as a priority. (End) A.M.K. / M.N.F.
